A Path Not Taken
by blueangel1415
Summary: Girl-Merlin. Very Au, ' With this act you destroy your own destiny Emerys.' Nimueh said solemnly.      Merlin could not help but smile sadly, ' I know.'


A/N; another one of my AU stories, and yes Merlin is a girl in this one. Some spoilers for season 4. I do not own Merlin or any if its characters.

The smoke of the pyres still stifled the air and the screams of the innocent could still be heard when the cries of a newly born child pierced the air.

This child was Emery's.

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><p>Hunith kissed her little girl goodnight and tucked the blanket around her daughters shoulders. As she closed the window of the kitchen, she saw at the edge of the forest armed druids. Ever watchful of their Emery's; of her Merlin.<p>

She knew she was doing the right thing as she sent her daughter off to the city of Camelot, but in the following days she often wondered how fate could be so cruel. How could it ask so much of one person? How could she, as her mother, condemn her to such a fate?

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><p>Merlin couldn't help but smile at her fate. Finally she had found somewhere where she fit in, even if her place were as a servant.<p>

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><p>In the depths of Camelot's castle the dragon laughed. Emery's had finally come, and for the first time in twenty years he felt his fire fill his throat and burst forth at the thought of freedom.<p>

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><p>Merlin's breathe hitched as she felt her magic burst through her. She saw the sky darken and with a wave of her hand lightening broke through the sky and hit its target.<p>

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><p>Tears streamed down her face with the loss of her father. She alone carried the gift that it was said, no daughter had carried. Merlin had shrugged it off as destiny.<p>

Her father had been the last dragon lord, but she was Emery's.

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><p>Arthur touched her shoulder gingerly as she stood frozen at the sight of Morgana. Merlin swallowed the bile in her throat and raced up the stairs as she tried to hide her fear from Arthur.<p>

She had, had no choice but to poison Morgana. Hadn't she?

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><p>Blood covered the column as the cup of life clattered to the ground. The blast had knocked Morgues into the wall, but she was not unconscious. She stumbled and raised her sword at Merlin. With a swipe of her hand Morgues had been knocked into her sister, and they both had been sent tumbling to the ground. A sword clattered to the ground and Merlin whirled around to see Arthur and his knights staring at her with betrayal etched on their faces.<p>

Merlin shook her head at Lancelot and Gaius as they tried to come to her aid. Instead she raised her hands to the ceiling and with one word the ceiling began to cave, and she was separated from the knights and the priestesses, and as it continued to crumble she grabbed the cup of life and transported herself to the druid encampment where she had been given the cup.

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><p>Merlin arrived injured, a cup in one hand and a sword in the other. The druids welcomed her warmly and bid her into the healing tent. For days she laid there recovering from her wounds the collapsing ceiling had made. She spent it in a haze of exhaustion and pain. When her mind was finally clear she shed a few tears as she realized that the woman who had taken care of her these past few days had been Alice. The woman, no longer under the control of a monster, became her one source of comfort.<p>

After the fifth day in the tent Alice showed her a vision she had, had of the future.

_Smoke rose from the many fires on the field and the groaning of dying men could be heard. Merlin retched at the mix of blood and salt from the sea that permeated the air. She spotted Excalibur a few feet away; next a man she knew had to be Arthur. Tears dropped down her face as she surveyed the field and what she found at the end of it made her heart skip a beat. She looked down to see Morgana retching blood and barley breathing. Morgana saw her and reached a hand up, '' Please Emerys.'' She whispered. _

Merlin was pulled out of the vision and retched violently; pulling a bucket to her so she empty the contents of her stomach. When she was done Alice lifted her chin and looked straight into her eyes. '' This is the path that destiny has set out for you. Now tell me Merlin is this, the path that you wish to take?'' Merlin unable to speak shook her head. '' Then you know what you will have to do to change it.'' Merlin nodded her head and lay on the ground as Alice gently touched her shoulder. '' You must rest now; for the darkness is not yet upon us and you will need all your strength.''

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><p>Merlin waved Alice goodbye as finally left the druid camp and set off on her own with one of Alice's horses to carry her. In the past year she had trained day after and honed her magic. She hoped to stop the events that would soon take place; she just hoped destiny would not get in her way.<p>

Merlin shivered as the Dorocha's screams permeated the land. Merlin called upon the dragon and like before he answered the call.

'' Merlin, to what do I owe the pleasure?'' He laughed and put his head down to meet her eyes.

'' The veil between the worlds has broken and now the Dorocha plague Camelot. I know Morgana has shed her sister's blood and now a blood sacrifice is needed to repair the veil. Knowing the prat he probably is already on his way to the isle of the blessed to fix it. So I need you to take me to the isle as fast as you can.''

He frowned, '' you cannot do this.''

'' I must.''

The Screams were ear shattering as Merlin stood near the open veil.

'' So you have come Emerys.'' The Callieach stood in front of her; cold and dark.

Raising Excalibur Merlin stepped nearer to her, '' Heal the veil.''

'' Emyrs you know that there is only one way to heal the veil between the worlds, and it is not for you to pay such a price.''

'' No it is not.'' With that Merlin pierced the Callieach in her heart. A piercing scream echoed through the walls of the crumbling castle and the Callieach turned into a stream of black smoke before entering the veil and healing it. Merlin took an unsteady step back before exiting the ruins. Outside the dragon waited for her and as she neared him he lifted his head, '' Well?'' he asked.

'' It's done.'' He nodded and Merlin wrapped Excalibur back into a cloth, '' Now we must go back to Camelot.''

'' That is very dangerous Merlin if Arthur catches you he will have no choice but I -''

'' I know but I have to find Mordred.''

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><p>The waves heaved and hoed along the shore of the beach. Merlin carried Mordred in her arms and stepped into the icy water. She shivered but kept going deeper and deeper into the water until she was waste deep. She checked again to see the boys in her arms was still in a deep sleep.<p>

They must have sensed her presence for a moment later the shoreline grew light and a barge carrying three cloaked women approached her.

'' Emerys,'' Merlin's breathe hitched as one woman removed her hood and before her stood Nimueh. '' It is not your time amongst men to end, nor is it your kings; so why do you come here?'' Merlin shuffled Mordred around in her arms and placed him in Nimueh's arms.

'' This is our kin, would you really want another one of us die for the sake of destiny.'' The other women pushed their hoods down to reveal Viviane and Morgues. They looked down at Mordred. '' Please.'' Merlin begged.

'' With this act you destroy your own destiny Emerys.'' Nimueh said solemnly.

Merlin could not help but smile sadly, '' I know.''

Morgues then stepped into the water, '' my sister-''

'' She will join you, I promise Morgues.'' She smiled briefly at me before getting onto the barge again.

'' Be warned Emerys; all the events that follow are of your own doing and yours alone.'' Viviane warned.

'' I know, just as long Mordred gets to stay with you; for eternity.'' She nodded and with that the three Women and now Mordred disappeared into the light of the setting sun.

Merlin stumbled back to the druid camp to find it in ruins. Fire covered the forest and bodies were scattered around the camp. I found a women still breathing, but just, '' Please tell me what happened.''

'' Morgana and Agrivane came...they know what you did Emerys...you must hurry...''

'' Hurry, where!'' Merlin Cried. The woman's breathing grew fainter and fainter but Merlin could make out the final word that passed her lips, '' Home.''

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><p>Ealdor was in the same state as the druid camp had been. Merlin choked on the growing fires but was determined to find her home. She came to the spot of the place she once called home only to find it in flames. Disregarding the flames she raced into the house to find her mother lying across the floor. '' Mom!'' Merlin dragged her mother through the flames not noticing when the flames burned her arms and legs. When she was safely away from the flames, only then did she collapse. Merlin felt her mother's chest only to feel blood ooze from a wound in her chest. Merlin held her mother in her arms as she sobbed.<p>

'' Merlin?'' She whirled around to find Lancelot behind her. He put down his sword and wrapped his arms around her.

Merlin still shook but she croaked out two words, '' my mother.'' Lancelot must have seen the body behind her for he tightened his grip.

'' Merlin I'm so sorry but you have to go. I am a few minutes ahead of the others and if they find you here-'' He did not have to say the rest.

Merlin stepped out of his arms, '' Agrivane and Morgana did this.''

'' Agrivane?''

Merlin nodded but continued, '' you must protect Arthur.''

'' I have- I will Merlin, you have my word.'' Merlin turned around and kneeled before her mother's body and affectionately touched her cheek before unclasping her cloak and laying it over the body. She wiped the tears that were ceasing to stop falling and turned back to Lancelot. She gave him a lingering kiss on the lips before disappearing into the forest.

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><p>Merlin stayed with the druids that stayed within Camelot and from them she learned where Morgana was staying, and if Agrivane never returned from a ride in the forest; no one was none the wiser.<p>

Lancelot never commented on Agrivane's death or of Morgana's soldiers that he and the other knights would find dead in the forest.

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><p>Lancelot held Merlin when Gaius suddenly died. The physician had died suddenly and no one questioned that it was anything but a death by magic; Morgana had struck again. Merlin had collapsed onto the ground and screamed herself hoarse. He held her even though the screams hurt his ears and he continued to ignore the storm that grew around them as tears streamed down her face. He did not leave her until she had fallen asleep from exhaustion and then he had carried her back to the camp.<p>

The druids did not question him and when he finally made his way back to Camelot, Gwaine was waiting for him.

'' Some storm last night.'' Lancelot did not comment as they made their way to the fields for morning training. '' How is she doing?'' Lancelot was not surprised that Gwaine knew. He may appear like a drunken fool but he was too smart for his own good.

'' I don't know how much more of this she can take.'' Gwaine did not comment instead giving him a slap on the back.

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><p>The only thing that kept Merlin from turning into Morgana was Gaius's words. Magic was to be used for good and nothing else. It was not to be used for vengeance or out of anger.<p>

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><p>As Merlin held the last dragon egg and buried it beneath one of the alters of the isle of the blessed she could not help but feel sorry for Arthur and his knights. Thanks to Lancelot she knew days before where the knight's new quests would take them. A smile crossed her lips as she imagined how the prat would be so frustrated at his fruitless journeys. She then felt a pang in her heart; she missed the man that had become like a brother to her.<p>

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><p>Merlin surveyed the battlefield from a hilltop. Arthur had won against his uncle's armies and with Excalibur raised he claimed victory for the knights of Camelot. Merlin saw Lancelot wink at her and she nodded back. Lancelot had given Arthur Excalibur after all; not Merlin. She smiled briefly at Gwaine before turning back to the barely breathing body. Morgana had not been as powerful as she had boasted.<p>

Morgana opened her eyes before raising her hand to reach out to her, '' Please Merlin.'' Merlin inhaled the salty air of the sea before replying, '' It's time to go back to your sister.''

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><p>Merlin could not stop smiling as the druid priest now claimed her and Lancelot bound for life. Lancelot kissed her gently only to be broken by Gwaine's wolf whistles. Merlin turned just in time to see Percival none to gently, smack Gwaine in the back of the head. Gwen and Arthur only laughed at them before turning back to the couple.<p>

Merlin kissed Lancelot again, '' so what happens now?''

Merlin shrugged her shoulders, '' I don't know, I don't care.''

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><p>In the end Camelot did not end with a swing of a sword or with the blood of a king staining a sorceress's hands. Instead, it ended as all kingdoms should, with the gentle grace of time.<p> 


End file.
